WATFORD got their Coca-Cola Championship promotion push back on track as goals from Nathan Ellington and Tommy Smith gave them a hard-fought win over Coventry.

Ellington had the Hornets in front after just six minutes when he fired in from inside the box, but Leon Best headed Coventry level just before the hour mark.

Coventry had looked likely to grab a winner, but a defensive mistake from former Watford man Stephen Hughes allowed Smith to score 11 minutes from time and give Watford their first win in nine games.

Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd made two changes from the side which lost at Hull last weekend with John-Joe O'Toole coming into midfield in place of Al Bangura and Lloyd Doyley replacing Jay DeMerit in defence.

Chris Coleman also made two changes to his Coventry side as Best returned up front at the expense of Michael Mifsud and Isaac Osbourne replaced Jay Tabb.

Watford looked eager to get an early goal and they did just that in the seventh minute when Ellington picked the ball up 30 yards out and was allowed to go into the box unchallenged before driving the ball past Kasper Schmeichel.

The home side immediately went in search of a second and O'Toole fired over from 20 yards before Ellington's ambitious long-range effort flew wide.

Coventry gradually began to get into the game and Best sent a left-foot strike from the edge of the area just wide of Richard Lee's goal.

However, Watford continued to look dangerous and Lee Williamson crossed for Smith who dragged his shot wide.

Minutes later Williamson drove a free-kick into the wall, but Coventry held on to prevent Watford doubling their lead before the break.

Coleman signalled his side's intentions for the second half as he brought Mifsud on for defender Richard Duffy in a bid to get back into the game.

The introduction of Mifsud unsettled Watford and they were struggling to cope with the Maltese striker's running.

With 59 minutes gone he laid the ball off to Julian Gray on the left and he dinked in a superb cross right into the path of Best who headed past Lee from close range.

Watford reacted well and should have been in front minutes later when Jobi McAnuff's corner from the left found Danny Shittu, but he headed wide. On-loan West Ham striker Zavon Hines came on for Coventry and they looked the more likely to grab the winner as the Vicarage Road crowd became more restless.

However, with 11 minutes remaining Lee's long kick was misjudged by Hughes who allowed the ball to bounce over his head and into the path of Smith who slipped the ball through Schmeichel's legs to restore Watford's lead.

The goal was harsh on Coventry who were almost level soon after when Daniel Fox's corner was cleared into the path of Mifsud who sent a curling shot from 30 yards narrowly wide.

Hines drove a long-range effort over the bar late on, but Watford held on to move within a point of the automatic promotion places.